Computer input devices with hybrid translation modes

ABSTRACT

In some aspects, the disclosure is directed to methods and systems for a hybrid position and rate control input device comprising: a housing comprising an upper portion and a lower portion; a force-detecting sensor configured to detect a translation or rotation of the upper portion relative to the lower portion; a motion-detecting sensor within one of the upper portion and the lower portion of the housing, configured to detect motion of the housing relative to a surface; a communication interface positioned within the housing; and a processor positioned within the housing configured to select between a first translation signal from the motion-detecting sensor and a second translation signal from the force-detecting sensor; and transmit, via the communication interface to a computing device, the selected translation signal.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of and priority as a continuation toU.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/329,636, entitled “Computer InputDevices with Hybrid Translation Modes,” filed May 25, 2021, and issuedas U.S. Pat. No. 11,132,070 on Sep. 28, 2021, the entirety of which isincorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for inputdevices for electronic devices, such as computers. In particular, thisdisclosure relates to systems and methods for computer input deviceswith hybrid translation modes including both rate-control translationand position-control translation.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Computer pointing devices such as mice may be considered isotonic,displacement-measuring position-control translational input devices withtwo degrees of freedom (e.g. in the x-y plane). Such input devices maybe highly accurate for moving a cursor to a selected target, such as aninput element of a user interface, and may also respond quickly tomovements by a user. For example, when a user moves a computer mouse, acomputer may move a cursor immediately and at a velocity proportional tothe velocity of the physical mouse. However, computer mice are typicallyrange-limited: once reaching the edge of a mousepad or other surface, ifa user wishes to continue moving the mouse in that direction, they mayneed to lift the mouse from the surface and reset it at a position inthe opposite direction. For user interfaces with borders, such as theborders of a computer desktop, this may not be as crucial, but for userinterfaces such as three dimensional environments, the user's ability tocontrol rotation of the interface is significantly impacted. Forexample, for a user to turn a virtual camera or avatar in a full circlewith a mouse, in many instances, they may need to move the mouse to oneside of the mousepad, lift the mouse and set it at the other side of themouse pad, and repeat several times to complete the circle. This maytake significant additional time and effort, impairing the user'sability to interact with the virtual environment.

By contrast, a rate-controlled elastic translational input device suchas a joystick or a rate-controlled isometric translational input devicesuch as a trackpoint allows for infinite, continuous movement in anydirection. A user may hold a joystick to one side to continuously rotatea virtual camera or avatar in the corresponding direction, withoutneeding to pause or reset the position of the joystick. However, becausethe joystick or trackpoint provides rate-control over velocity of thecursor or camera rather than position-control, it may be slow to beginmovement. For example, while a user may immediately and quickly move amouse a large distance to move a cursor by a correspondingly largedistance, the user may need to tilt the joystick to one side and wait asthe cursor accelerates from rest to a predetermined top speed.Additionally, while a mouse user may stop a translation in a nearinstant and reverse direction (improving accuracy when overshooting atarget, for example), a joystick user must rotate the joystick from oneside to another, with the cursor correspondingly slowing whilecontinuing to travel in the original direction; stopping; and finallyreversing, slowly at first and then accelerating, in the reversedirection. This may take significant time, and with small user interfacetargets that may be easily overshot when aiming a cursor, may cause ahigh degree of user frustration.

Accordingly, the particular and contrasting benefits and impairments ofrate control and position control interface devices mean that each maybe preferred for particular uses and disliked for others.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various objects, aspects, features, and advantages of the disclosurewill become more apparent and better understood by referring to thedetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which like reference characters identify correspondingelements throughout. In the drawings, like reference numbers generallyindicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similarelements.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are top and bottom views, respectively, of animplementation of a computer input device having a rotational degree offreedom;

FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional side view of a sensor for an implementationof a computer input device;

FIG. 1D is a graph illustrating an example of sensor inputs andcorresponding translational and rotational movement for animplementation of a computer input device;

FIG. 1E is a key of symbols for detected directional motion for thechart of FIG. 1F;

FIG. 1F is a chart illustrating an example of directions of rotationaccording to various sets of detected directional motions for a pair ofsensors of an implementation of a computer input device;

FIG. 1G is an illustration of measurement of rotational motion of animplementation of a computer input device;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an implementation of a computer inputdevice and computing environment;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an implementation of providing translationaland rotational motion values for an implementation of a computer inputdevice;

FIG. 4A is a chart comparing an example speed of cursor movement viaposition control and rate control input devices;

FIG. 4B is an illustration of an embodiment of a hybrid position andrate control input device;

FIG. 4C is an illustration of an embodiment of a hybrid position andrate control input device in various positions;

FIG. 4D is a perspective drawing of an embodiment of a hybrid positionand rate control input device;

FIGS. 4E and 4F are a cross-sectional side view and a top view,respectively, of an implementation of a force sensing input device;

FIG. 4G is a cross-sectional side view of an optical sensorimplementation for a hybrid position and rate control input device;

FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating an example of sensor inputs andcorresponding translational movement for an implementation of a computerinput device having hybrid position and rate control;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a computer input devicehaving hybrid position and rate control;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a method for hybrid positionand rate control of a computer input device; and

FIGS. 8A and 8B are block diagrams depicting embodiments of computingdevices useful in connection with the methods and systems describedherein.

The details of various embodiments of the methods and systems are setforth in the accompanying drawings and the description below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For purposes of reading the description of the various embodimentsbelow, the following descriptions of the sections of the specificationand their respective contents may be helpful:

Section A describes embodiments of systems and methods for advancedcomputer input devices having rotational and translation degrees offreedom;

Section B describes embodiments of systems and methods for computerinput devices with hybrid translation modes; and

Section C describes a computing environment which may be useful forpracticing embodiments described herein.

A. Computer Input Devices Having Rotational and Translation Degrees ofFreedom

Computer input devices such as mice are typically limited to two degreesof freedom, such as x-axis and y-axis translations of a standardcomputer mouse. This can be limiting for developers wishing to provide agreater range of controls, and also impair realism in simulations. Otherinput devices, such as joysticks or 3D mice, allow for more degrees offreedom, but are limited to rotational degrees (e.g. pitch, roll, andyaw). While these inputs may be mapped to translations (e.g. left andright on a joystick, typically used for roll, being instead used to movea cursor left and right), because joysticks and 3D mice are rate-controldevices, they tend to be inaccurate, less intuitive, and slower to movethan position-control input devices such as conventional mice. Forexample, to aim a cursor at an interface element across the monitor froma current position, a user may easily and intuitively move aconventional mouse in the direction of the target for a distanceproportional to the distance to be covered by the cursor on the monitor.By contrast, to aim a cursor at an interface element using a joystick, auser may need to push the joystick to an extreme tilt in a direction,and then hold that position as the cursor accelerates to a predeterminedspeed. Worse, if a user overshoots a target with a conventional mouse,they may simply move their hand back slightly to realign the cursor withthe target; but with a joystick, a user approaching a target from theleft and overshooting the target would need to move the joystick from aright tilt all the way back through zero to a left tilt. This issignificantly slower.

Instead, the advanced computer input device described herein addressesthese issues by adding a rotational degree of freedom to the standardtwo translation degrees of freedom (x and y) of a traditional mouse, inan easy and intuitive fashion. A plurality of independent positionsensors may be arranged on a lower surface of the computer input device,each determining a direction and velocity of motion of the input devicewhen in use. The detected directions and velocities may be compared todetermine whether a rotational motion of the input device has beenapplied as opposed to (or in addition to) a translation. In someimplementations, the additional sensors may also provide greateraccuracy for translation detection, for example by averaging sensordata, or by disregarding sensor data that may be erroneous (e.g. a lossof detection of motion during a translation, such as due to dust ordebris blocking a sensor).

FIGS. 1A and 1B are top and bottom views, respectively, of animplementation of a computer input device 100 having a rotational degreeof freedom (Z_(rot), or rotation around the z-axis perpendicular to thepage) and two translational degrees of freedom (X± along the x-axis tothe left and right, and Y± along the y-axis up and down). The axes arelabeled for convenience, but different axes may be utilized in variousimplementations (e.g. a translational Z axis could be utilized in placeof a Y axis, or a rotational X axis could be utilized in place of thetranslational X axis, such as turning a view left and right within athree dimensional environment). As shown in the bottom view of FIG. 1B,the input device 100 may comprise a plurality of sensors 102A-102D (oradditional sensors not illustrated) referred to generally as sensor(s)102. The plurality of sensors may be spaced at locations separated froma centroid of the input device. When the input device 100 is rotatedaround the z-axis (Z_(rot)), the centroid may remain in approximatelythe same position while the sensors 102 move an amount proportional totheir distance from the centroid. For example, when rotating the inputdevice in the positive Z_(rot) direction, sensor 102A may show a largemovement in the positive X direction and negative Y direction, whilesensor 102B shows a similar movement in the negative X direction andpositive Y direction. These distances and directions may be compared inorder to detect a rotation of the input device 100. Advantageously, thesensors 102 also provide translation detection, avoiding the need foradditional dedicated sensors to detect rotation (e.g. balls, coils,wheels, inertial measurement units, accelerometers, etc.).

Although shown symmetrically positioned across the bottom surface of thecontroller 100, other arrangements are possible. For example, thesensors 102 may be positioned on one side or another of a centerline ofthe controller. Additionally, although shown with pairs, differentnumbers of sensors are possible. For example, in some implementations,three sensors may be positioned across the bottom surface of thecontroller (e.g. in an equilateral or isosceles triangle).

Referring briefly to FIG. 1C, illustrated is a cross-section view (notto scale) of a sensor 102 for an implementation of a computer inputdevice 100. The sensor 102 may comprise an optical or infrared sensor110 and, in many implementations, may include a corresponding optical orinfrared emitter 104 (e.g. LED or OLED illuminator, a laser, etc.). Insome implementations, the sensor and optional emitter may be uncovered,while in other implementations an emitter cover or lens 106 and sensorcover or lens 108 may be employed (e.g. as a translucent cover forprotection of sensor 110 and emitter 104, or as curved lenses toproperly focus light 112 from emitter 104 on sensor 110). As shown,light 112 from emitter 104 may be reflected off surface 114 and receivedby sensor 110 to illuminate the surface and detect changes in successiveimages of the surface to determine motion. For example, in someimplementations, sensor 110 may comprise an X-Y array of image sensors(e.g. a CCD, CMOS sensor, etc.), and may take successive images of theilluminated surface at a predetermined frequency. These images may becompared to determine an amount and direction of motion (e.g. atranslation or motion vector between the two images) at thepredetermined frequency, allowing for calculation of a two-dimensionalvector proportional to the velocity.

As discussed above, outputs of different sensors may be compared todetect rotation of the input device. For example, FIG. 1D is a graphillustrating an example of sensor inputs and corresponding translationaland rotational movement (not to scale) for an implementation of acomputer input device. The key shown at upper left illustrates atop-down view of an input device 100, positive and negative directionsalong the X axis, as well as positive and negative rotation directionsaround the Z axis. The key also identifies a first sensor (A) near thetop of the input device and a second sensor (B) near the bottom of theinput device (although visible in the illustration for explanationpurposes, the sensors would be on the bottom of the input device and notvisible in most implementations).

For clarity and ease of explanation, only the X-axis outputs of sensorsA (solid line) and B (dashed line) are shown in the top graph.Similarly, only X-axis translations (solid line) and Z-axis rotations(dashed line) are illustrated in the bottom graph. Both graphs aretime-aligned.

As shown in the top graph, from t0-t1, both sensors A and B detect avelocity to the right (X+) that ceases at t1. At t2-t3, both sensorsdetect a velocity to the left. As shown in the bottom graph, from t0-t1,the input device is moved to the right (X+); at t1-t2, the input deviceis stationary; and at t2-t3, the input device is moved back to the left,albeit less than the amount moved to the right at t0-t1.

As shown in the top graph, at t4-t5, sensor A detects a velocity to theright (X+) while sensor B detects a velocity to the left (X−). Thisrepresents a rotation around a position between the two sensors (e.g.the centroid of the input device). As shown in the bottom graph, fromt4-t5, the input device is rotated clockwise (see also dashed-lineimages of input device 100 beneath the graphs, illustratingcorresponding rotational orientations at the noted times).

In many implementations, rotation of the input device may not beperfectly centered at the centroid or position between the sensors. Thismay result in still-detectable differences in sensor outputs, albeitwith different amplitudes. For example, from t5-t6 in the upper graph,sensor A detects a large velocity to the left, while sensor B detects asmaller velocity to the right. As shown in the lower graph, this may beidentified as a counter-clockwise rotation, albeit not around thecentroid of the input device, and accordingly may be identified as asmaller rotation. Similarly, in some implementations, both sensors maydetect a velocity in the same direction (e.g. X+ at t6-t7) withdifferent amplitudes. This may be similarly interpreted as a clockwiserotation as shown, with a slight movement to the right of the lowerportion (in the Y direction) of the input device and a large movement tothe right of the upper portion (in the Y direction) of the input device.

Although shown stationary from t5-t7 in the lower graph, in someimplementations, rotations not around the centroid of the input devicemay be interpreted as simultaneous rotations and translations. Forexample, in one such implementation, rather than being stationary fromt6-t7, the input device may detect an overall velocity to the right(X+), coupled with a clockwise rotation.

The velocities detected from different sensors may be correlated todetermine an overall rotation, as shown in the chart of FIG. 1F.Referring first to FIG. 1E, illustrated is a key of symbols for detecteddirectional motion from a sensor. For example, if a sensor detects atranslation to the right (X+) and up (Y+), the combined vector may be upand right, as shown in the upper right cell of the key. The key issimplified for convenience and does not illustrate relative amplitudesand resulting vector angles.

The vector symbols are used in the chart of FIG. 1F, which illustratesan example of directions of rotation according to various sets ofdetected directional motions for a pair of sensors (e.g. sensor A at thetop of an input device and sensor B at the bottom of the input device,as shown in FIG. 1D) of an implementation of a computer input device100. As shown in the chart, if sensor A detects a translation to theright and sensor B detects no translation, the result may be interpretedas a clockwise rotation (Z+). Similarly, if sensor A detects atranslation up and to the left, and sensor B detects a translation upand to the right, the result may be interpreted as a counter-clockwiserotation (Z−).

As shown, several combinations of detected velocities may be interpretedas errors. For example, because the sensors are at fixed positionsrelative to each other, if sensor A detects a velocity up (Y+) andsensor B detects an opposing velocity down (Y−), one or both readingsmust be erroneous (e.g. due to dust or debris on a lens of a sensor). Insome implementations, in case of error, a previously identifieddirection of rotation or translation may be utilized (e.g. during aprevious imaging and comparison cycle). This may be particularly usefulwhere the change in velocity vectors in subsequent cycles (e.g. thederivative or acceleration between successive vectors) is very high,suggesting an error. For example, if a series of images takenmicroseconds apart show a consistent translation velocity to the rightand a subsequent image shows a sudden velocity to the left, theacceleration in the X− direction indicated by the sensor may be huge. Ifthis acceleration exceeds a threshold, in some implementations, the newvelocity reading may be disregarded. Advantageously, with a plurality ofsensors, if an erroneous velocity detected by one sensor is disregarded,the velocity detected by another sensor may be utilized to move acursor, providing seamless error recovery and high reliability andaccuracy.

In another implementation, sensor vectors and a known distance betweenthe sensors and edges of the input device may be utilized to accuratelymeasure rotation of the input device. FIG. 1G is an illustration ofmeasurement of rotational motion of an implementation of a computerinput device 100. As shown, sensors 102A, 102B may each detect amovement (corresponding arrows). Because the distance between thesesensors is known, as well as the positions of the sensors on the inputdevice, a resulting rotation of the input device may be calculated as afunction of vector translations and their moments around the centroid ofthe input device.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an implementation of a computer inputdevice 100 and computing environment, including a second computingdevice 200, such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, workstation,console, tablet computer, appliance, or other electronic device. In manyimplementations, a controller 100 may comprise some or all of aplurality of sensors 202, one or more input interfaces 204 (e.g.buttons, scroll wheels, touch-sensitive surfaces, etc.), a processor orprocessors 206, one or more communications interfaces 208, and a powersupply 210.

Still referring to FIG. 2 and in more detail, in some implementations, acontroller 100 may comprise a plurality of sensors 202, which maycomprise sensors 102 as discussed above. In some implementations,sensors 202 may comprise CMOS image arrays of a given size (e.g. 16×16,8×8, 32×32, or any other such size and shape), and may includeilluminators or emitters such as laser diodes, infrared LEDs, etc.Because a plurality of sensors are used in combination, in someimplementations, an imaging array may be rectangular in shape. Forexample, rather than a square array, an image array may be 8×16, 16×32,etc. While this may reduce resolution in one direction, because pairs ofsensors are used to detect motion, the resulting sensor outputs may beused in combination to determine motion in those reduced-resolutiondirections at a higher resolution than provided by a single sensor. Forexample, given a controller 100 with two image sensors of 8×16 pixels,with the 8 pixels oriented along the Y axis, if the controller is movedupwards (e.g. in the Y+ direction), one sensor may detect movement ofone pixel within the imaging time period, while the other sensor doesnot detect any movement. The output of the sensor detecting movement maybe utilized and the non-movement detecting sensor signal disregarded.This effectively doubles the resolution of the sensors. In a similarexample, if one sensor detects movement of 3 pixels and the other sensordetects movement of 1 pixel, these output values may be averaged and amovement of 2 pixels during the imaging time period provided to thecomputing device, again effectively doubling the resolution. This may beparticularly valuable for sensor pairs that are aligned along an axis(e.g. using arrays that are shorter in the Y direction for sensorsaligned on the Y-axis of the controller, or arrays that are narrower inthe X direction for sensors aligned on the X-axis of the controller).Such implementations may allow for reduced cost in manufacturing andutilization of arrays with manufacturing errors at the edges that wouldotherwise be discarded as waste.

In addition to optical sensors 202, in some implementations, controller100 may include additional sensors, such as inertial measurement units,accelerometers, three-dimensional orientation sensors, magnetic sensors,or mechanical sensors. For example, in some implementations, controller100 may include a pair of optical sensors and an X-Y accelerometer.

Controller 100 may also include one or more input interfaces 204, suchas buttons, scroll wheels, thumbwheels, joysticks, directional pads,paddles or rocker switches, touch-sensitive surfaces (e.g. resistive orcapacitive touchpads), fingerprint scanners, or other such inputinterfaces. Triggers detected from each interface may be provided to acomputing device 200 via a human interface device (HID) driver, such asmouse clicks (e.g. click down and click up) events, taps, drags,double-clicks, directional buttons, etc.

Controller 100 may include a processor 206. Processor 206 may compriseany type and form of processor, and in many implementations, maycomprise an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) orfield-programmable gate array (FPGA) configured to receive sensorsignals, correlate the signals to determine translations and/orrotations, and provide the signals via a communication interface 208 toa computing device 200. Processor 206 may also control one or moreoutput devices (not illustrated) such as LEDs for battery orcommunication status, aesthetic appearance, or button indications, aswell as dynamically powering an emitter (e.g. reducing emitter powerwhen the controller is not being moved).

Communications interface 208 may comprise any type and form ofinterface, such as a USB interface, Bluetooth interface, WiFi interface,etc., and may comprise corresponding hardware (e.g. wirelesstransmitters, physical ports, etc.). In many implementations, acontroller may include multiple communications interfaces 208, such as aBluetooth interface for wireless use and a USB interface for wired use.For wireless implementations, controller 100 may comprise a power supply210 such as a rechargeable or replaceable battery.

Communications interface 208 of the controller 100 may communicatewirelessly or via a physical connection (e.g. USB cable) with acorresponding communications interface 208′ of a computing device 200,which may include several such communications interfaces. Computingdevice 200 may similarly comprise one or more processors 206′. Computingdevice 200 may also include a memory device 212, which may store anoperating system 214 for execution by processor 206′ as well as one ormore applications 216. User interfaces may be provided by the operatingsystem 214 and/or applications 216, which may include movable cameras,cursors, or selectable interface elements such as buttons, scroll bars,or other such entities. The operating system 214 may comprise a humaninterface device (HID) driver for interpreting signals from thecontroller 100, such as movement or detected translation velocities(e.g. in the X or Y directions) as well as rotations (e.g. around the Zaxis, or any other axis, depending on configuration).

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an implementation of providing translationaland rotational motion values for an implementation of a computer inputdevice. At step 302, a processor of the controller may read a value froma sensor, such as an optical sensor or imaging CMOS sensor. Althoughreferred to as a value, in many implementations, the “value” may be aprocessed value such as a velocity vector (e.g. x and y coordinates)representing a velocity detected by the sensor over a predeterminedimaging period (e.g. 1 millisecond, 1 microsecond, etc.). In someimplementations, the images may be processed by the processor, while inother implementations, the images may be processed by a dedicatedco-processor (e.g. ASIC performing digital image correlation).

Optionally, in some implementations, to avoid false readings, thevelocity vector or value may be compared to a threshold, and if thevalue is less than the threshold, at step 304, the value may be set to 0or null (providing a “dead zone” for movement, and avoiding jitter fromvery slight detected movements of the controller). In otherimplementations, the value may be compared to another (e.g. upper)threshold, and if the value is greater than the threshold, the value maybe set to 0 or null (e.g. avoiding errors from false positives ordetected motion that is unlikely to be realistic, on the orders ofmeters per second or more). In still other implementations, these stepsmay be skipped.

If there are additional sensors, then at step 306, the next sensorselected and values read or images correlated at steps 302-304.

At step 308, velocity vectors from different sensors may be compared,and particularly sensors in predetermined positions or in opposition toeach other around a centroid of the controller. As discussed above,comparing the vectors may comprise comparing both direction andamplitude of the vectors. Vectors in opposing directions may indicate arotation, or may indicate an erroneous input, depending on the specificdirections, as discussed above. If the directions and amplitudesindicate a potential rotation, then at step 310 in some implementations,starting and ending vectors may be determined for the sensors, and atstep 312, a rotation of the controller around the z-axis may becalculated (e.g. a rotation of a line through the sensors and centroidof the controller in an initial position to a second position throughthe sensors' new locations and the centroid, according to each sensor'sdetermined velocity vector). In some implementations, this may be doneby calculating an inverse tangent of a slope of a line through theending positions of each sensor relative to a previous position (e.g.tan θ=(Ax−Bx)/(Ay−By)). In other implementations, other methods may beutilized (e.g. determining a resultant vector for the centroid based oneach sensor's vector and its distance from the centroid, etc.). At step316, this rotation may be transmitted via a communication interface to acomputing device. Although representing a rotation around the z-axis ofthe controller, this axis may be mapped by an operating system orapplication of the computing device to another axis. For example, therotation may be used for roll, rotation of a control surface (e.g. arudder of a boat or plane, or a nose steering wheel of a plane), aleaning left or right action within a three-dimensional virtualenvironment, or any other such movement. In some implementations, themovement may be used for navigation between webpages or tabs of abrowser, between windows of an application, etc. For example, a user mayrotate the controller one way to advance to a next tab and the other wayto return to a previous tab.

If the sensor values do not indicate a rotation, then at step 318 insome implementations, the sensor values may be compared to prior valuesor vectors (e.g. determining an acceleration based on two successivevelocity measurements for each sensor). If the velocity is consistentwith the prior velocity for each sensor—that is, if the accelerationbetween successive velocity measurements is less than a threshold foreach sensor—then at step 320 in some implementations, an average vectormay be determined from the sensors and used for a translation vector ofthe controller. The translation vector may be provided to a computingdevice via the interface at step 316. If the velocity for either sensoris not consistent with a prior velocity—that is, if the accelerationbetween two velocity measurements exceeds a threshold—then the readingmay be erroneous, and in some implementations, at step 322, the moreconsistent velocity measurement or sensor detecting a smalleracceleration between subsequent velocity measurements may be utilized asthe translation vector for the controller. This may increase reliabilityas discussed above, avoiding issues with erroneous readings due to dustor debris on a sensor. The translation vector may be provided to acomputing device via the interface at step 316, as discussed above.

Accordingly, the systems and methods discussed herein provide for anadvanced computer input device with a rotational degree of freedom(trot) in addition to two translation degrees of freedom (x and y), inan easy and intuitive fashion. A plurality of independent positionsensors may be arranged on a lower surface of the computer input device,each determining a direction and velocity of motion of the input devicewhen in use. The detected directions and velocities may be compared todetermine whether a rotational motion of the input device has beenapplied as opposed to (or in addition to) a translation. In someimplementations, the additional sensors may also provide greateraccuracy for translation detection, for example by averaging sensordata, or by disregarding sensor data that may be erroneous (e.g. a lossof detection of motion during a translation, such as due to dust ordebris blocking a sensor).

In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a computer inputdevice. The computer input device includes a housing; a communicationinterface positioned within the housing; a first motion-detecting sensorpositioned at a first location on an underside of the housing; a secondmotion-detecting sensor positioned at a second location on an undersideof the housing; and a processor positioned within the housing. Theprocessor is configured to: receive a first signal indicating a firsttranslation detected by the first motion-detecting sensor; receive asecond signal indicating a second translation detected by the secondmotion-detecting sensor; identify, based on the first translation andthe second translation, a rotation of the housing; and transmit, via thecommunication interface to a computing device, a signal comprising theidentified rotation.

In some implementations, the first location is in opposition to thesecond location across a centroid of the underside of the housing. Insome implementations, the first motion-detecting sensor and secondmotion-detecting sensor each comprise an imaging array. In a furtherimplementation, at least one imaging array of the first motion-detectingsensor and the second motion-detecting sensor is an oblong rectangulararray. In some implementations, the communication interface comprises awireless communication interface. In some implementations, thecommunication interface comprises a wired communication interface.

In some implementations, at least one of the first motion-detectingsensor and the second motion-detecting sensor further comprises anilluminator. In some implementations, the first motion-detecting sensorand the second motion-detecting sensor are configured to detect atranslation in an X-Y plane; and wherein the processor is furtherconfigured to identify the rotation of the housing around a Z-axisorthogonal to the X-Y plane. In a further implementation, the processoris further configured to identify the rotation of the housing responsiveto the first translation having a first direction and the secondtranslation having a second, opposing direction. In another furtherimplementation, the first translation includes a positive X translationand the second translation includes a negative X translation.

In some implementations, the processor is further configured to: receivea third signal indicating a third translation detected by the firstmotion-detecting sensor; receive a fourth signal indicating a fourthtranslation detected by the second motion-detecting sensor; identify,based on the third translation and the fourth translation, a lack ofrotation of the housing; determine a translation of the housing based onthe third translation and the fourth translation; and transmit, via thecommunication interface to a computing device, a signal comprising thedetermined translation of the housing. In a further implementation, theprocessor is configured to identify a lack of rotation of the housingresponsive to the third translation and the fourth translation havingvectors with directions within a predetermined threshold angle of eachother. In another further implementation, the processor is configured todetermine a first acceleration between the first translation and thethird translation. In a still further implementation, the processor isconfigured to disregard the third translation responsive to the firstacceleration exceeding a threshold. In a yet still furtherimplementation, the processor is configured to determine the translationof the housing corresponds to the fourth translation, responsive to thefirst acceleration exceeding the threshold. In another furtherimplementation, the processor is configured to determine a secondacceleration between the second translation and the fourth translation;and determine the translation of the housing corresponds to an averageof the third translation and the fourth translation, responsive to thefirst acceleration and the second acceleration each being less than athreshold.

In some implementations, the computer input device comprises at leastone input button. In some implementations, the computer input devicecomprises at least one input wheel.

In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method forproviding a rotational input signal via a computer input device. Themethod includes detecting, by a first motion-detecting sensor positionedat a first location on an underside of the computer input device, afirst translation in a first direction. The method also includesdetecting, by a second motion-detecting sensor positioned at a secondlocation on the underside of the computer input device, a secondtranslation in a second direction. The method also includes calculatinga rotation of the computer input device according to the firsttranslation and the second translation, responsive to the firstdirection opposing the second direction. The method also includesproviding, to a computing device, an identification of the rotation ofthe computer input device.

In some implementations, the method includes detecting, by the firstmotion-detecting sensor, a third translation in a third direction;detecting, by the second motion-detecting sensor, a fourth translationin a fourth direction; calculating a translation of the computer inputdevice according to the third translation and the fourth translation,responsive to the third direction not opposing the fourth direction; andproviding, to a computing device, an identification of the translationof the computer input device.

B. Computer Input Devices Having Hybrid Translation Modes

Computer pointing devices such as mice may be considered isotonic,displacement-measuring position-control translational input devices withtwo degrees of freedom (e.g. in the x-y plane). Such input devices maybe highly accurate for moving a cursor to a selected target, such as aninput element of a user interface, and may also respond quickly tomovements by a user. For example, when a user moves a computer mouse, acomputer may move a cursor immediately and at a velocity proportional tothe velocity of the physical mouse. However, computer mice are typicallyrange-limited: once reaching the edge of a mousepad or other surface, ifa user wishes to continue moving the mouse in that direction, they mayneed to lift the mouse from the surface and reset it at a position inthe opposite direction. For user interfaces with borders, such as theborders of a computer desktop, this may not be as crucial, but for userinterfaces such as three dimensional environments, the users ability tocontrol rotation of the interface is significantly impacted. Forexample, for a user to turn a virtual camera or avatar in a full circlewith a mouse, in many instances, they may need to move the mouse to oneside of the mousepad, lift the mouse and set it at the other side of themouse pad, and repeat several times to complete the circle. This maytake significant additional time and effort, impairing the user'sability to interact with the virtual environment.

By contrast, a rate-controlled elastic translational input device suchas a joystick or a rate-controlled isometric translational input devicesuch as a trackpoint allows for infinite, continuous movement in anydirection. A user may hold a joystick to one side to continuously rotatea virtual camera or avatar in the corresponding direction, withoutneeding to pause or reset the position of the joystick. However, becausethe joystick or trackpoint provides rate-control over velocity of thecursor or camera rather than position-control, it may be slow to beginmovement. FIG. 4A is a chart comparing an example speed of cursormovement via position control (e.g. a mouse) and rate control inputdevices (e.g. a joystick). As shown, while a user may immediately andquickly move a mouse a large distance to move a cursor by acorrespondingly large distance, the user may need to tilt the joystickto one side and wait as the cursor accelerates from rest to apredetermined top speed. Additionally, while a mouse user may stop atranslation in a near instant and reverse direction (improving accuracywhen overshooting a target, for example), a joystick user must rotatethe joystick from one side to another, with the cursor correspondinglyslowing while continuing to travel in the original direction; stopping;and finally reversing, slowly at first and then accelerating, in thereverse direction. This may take significant time, and with small userinterface targets that may be easily overshot when aiming a cursor, maycause a high degree of user frustration.

Accordingly, the particular and contrasting benefits and impairments ofrate control and position control interface devices mean that each maybe preferred for particular uses and disliked for others. Many users endup with multiple input devices connected simultaneously, and attempt toswitch between them during use dependent on what is preferred at aparticular moment, or use a less accurate rate-control device with theirnon-dominant hand and a position-control device with their dominant hand(which prevents them from using the keyboard simultaneously). Forexample, some users of CAD programs attempt to use a 3D joystick forcamera control with their non-dominant hand and a mouse for accuratepointing and selection with their dominant hand, though they have toswitch one or both hands back and forth between the controllers and akeyboard for inputting most commands. Similarly, some modern video gamesinclude some moments with operation of vehicles (e.g. planes orspaceships) where a joystick is preferred, and others outside of thevehicle with first-person shooter components where a mouse and keyboardis preferred, requiring users to clumsily switch controls at tensemoments.

The systems and methods discussed herein provide a new hybrid positionand rate control input device. The input device incorporates aspects ofboth joysticks or trackpoints and computer mice to provide for easy andintuitive translation movement with both high accuracy and limitless,continual movement. FIG. 4B is an illustration of an embodiment of ahybrid position and rate control input device 400, shown not to scaleand with components enlarged to show features and interactions. Theinput device 400 may include a top portion 402 and bottom portion 408separated by a slight gap 407 (not to scale). Bottom portion 408 mayinclude features of position control devices such as optical sensors(not illustrated), including a plurality of optical sensors fordetection of both translation and rotation as discussed above. Topportion 402 may include one or more input elements (not illustrated)such as buttons, scroll wheels, touchpads, fingerprint scanners,trackpoints, thumbwheels, toggles or pedal switches, or any other typeand form of input element.

The top portion 402 may be joined to bottom portion 408 via a jointhaving at least two translational degrees of freedom, e.g. a ball andsocket joint as shown with ball 404 connected to shaft 406 connectedwithin a corresponding socket 405 of the top portion. As noted above,the components of FIG. 4B are not shown to scale—in manyimplementations, the top portion 402 and bottom portion 408 would beboth closer together and larger than illustrated, with a small seam orgap 407; similarly, the joint (e.g. ball and socket or other) wouldtypically be smaller. In many such implementations, a large ball 404 asshown may be unnecessary, and the shaft may directly connect top portion402 and bottom portion 406, with the shaft connected via a slidable orrotatable joint (e.g. a planar joint, potentially with a restricted orlocked rotational degree of freedom) at one or both connections.

The bottom portion 408 and/or top portion 402 may include a sensor orrate-control sensitive element connected to the ball 404 and/or shaft406 to detect deflection of the top portion 402 against the bottomportion 408 (e.g. as shown in dashed line 402′, with ball and shaftmoved to new positions 404′, 406′). For example, in manyimplementations, the shaft 406 may comprise a shaft of a small joystickor trackpoint or other rate-control sensitive element integrated withinthe bottom portion 408 such that deflection of the top portion 402against the bottom portion 408 of the controller is interpreted as adirectional input on the joystick or trackpoint. In manyimplementations, required deflection of the top surface and bottomsurface may be minimal. For example, if the rate-control sensitiveelement is a force-detecting trackpoint connected to shaft 406, thenactual deflection needed may be on the order of a millimeter or less. Inmany implementations, this may be small enough for the user toeffectively ignore consciously, while still applying force during a movethat is detectable and interpretable by the controller and computer.

FIG. 4C is a top-down illustration of an embodiment of a hybrid positionand rate control input device in various positions (e.g. centered as inA, to the upper left as in B, and to the lower right, as in C). Ball andshaft 404 and 406 are shown in dashed line as “within” the controller400 or between the top portion 402 and bottom portion 408. As discussedabove, the figure is not shown to scale, and in many implementations,deflection required for interpretation by the rate-control sensitiveelement may be minimal. As shown, simultaneous X-Y translation ordeflection of the top portion 402 against the bottom portion 408 may bepossible in many implementations.

As discussed above, the hybrid controller 400 may comprise opticalsensors for position-control translation, e.g. on a bottom surface ofbottom portion 408. The signal(s) from the position-control opticalsensors may be combined or correlated with signals from the rate-controlsensitive element between the top and bottom portions of the controllerto provide a hybrid of both position- and rate-control over the inputdevice. For example, when a user moves the controller across a surface,the pressure of the user's hand moving the controller may be detectableas a force in the rate-control sensitive element, but as noted above,this initial force detection and deflection may be quite small—however,the position-control optical sensors may detect an immediate highvelocity motion, and a processor of the controller may disregard therate-control value and send movement values based on theposition-control sensors to the computing device, such that the cursoror viewpoint moves immediately and quickly, as it would with a mouse.When the user reaches the end of the surface, rather than lifting,translating, and replacing the controller to continue moving the cursoror viewpoint in the same direction, the user may simply leave their handin the same position, continuing to apply a slight directional force onthe top portion relative to the bottom portion, detectable by therate-control sensitive element. With the optical elements no longersensing movement, but the rate-control sensitive element showing acontinuous force, the controller processor may disregard theposition-control sensors and send movement values based on therate-control sensor to the computing device, such that the cursor orviewpoint continues moving in the direction it was previously moving. Asa result, the controller provides both the immediate, high accuracymovement of position-control devices such as mice, and the continuousdirectional movement of rate-control devices such as joysticks ortrackpoints.

As discussed above, the top portion 402 and bottom portion 408 of thecontroller 400 may be very closely integrated, such that the controllerresembles a typical mouse or other pointing device in form factor withonly a slight gap 407 between the portions. For example, FIG. 4D is aperspective drawing of an embodiment of a hybrid position and ratecontrol input device 400, with top portion 402 connected to bottomportion 408 with two translational degrees of freedom (restricted indistance) via a force-sensitive joint. As shown, the gap 407 may be verysmall or almost imperceptible, and as discussed above, the distance oftranslation of the top and bottom portions may be minimal, on the orderof a millimeter.

In many implementations, the controller 400 may include additional inputelements such as buttons 409 and a scroll wheel 411. In someimplementations, the controller may also include a second rate-controlinput device 410 such as a trackpoint for use by a user's thumb. Thiscan provide two additional rotational or translational degrees offreedom. For example, in some implementations, the hybrid positioncontrol and rate control sensors may be used to provide X-Y translationinputs; a plurality of optical position control sensors may be used toprovide Z_(rot) rotational input as discussed above; and a trackpoint410 may be used to provide X_(rot) and Y_(rot) rotational input,providing five degrees (two translation and three rotational) degrees offreedom. In a further implementation, discussed in more detail below, athird translational degree of freedom may be provided via the X-Y ratecontrol sensors: while typically used to detect an X-Y translation ofthe top portion 402 horizontally relative to the bottom portion 408, insuch implementations, the sensor may also be used to detect pressure ofthe top portion against (e.g. vertically towards) the bottom portion408. This may be used to provide a Z translation input, based on theamount of pressure applied by the user's hand on the top portion 402downwards through the controller. Accordingly, in some implementations,the controller may provide up to six degrees of freedom.

A trackpoint for a user's thumb and/or rate-control input device forrelative motion of the top and bottom portions 402, 408 may eachcomprise a force-sensing input element. An example of such a forcesensing input sensing circuit is illustrated in cross-section in FIG. 4Eand in top-down view in FIG. 4F (neither figure is shown to scale, withparts enlarged and/or distorted to show detail). Referring first to FIG.4E, a shaft 406 of a hybrid controller (which may be joined to aninterior of a top portion 402 either directly or with a ball joint orother joint) or a manipulatable shaft or button of a trackpoint 410 mayinclude a bottom surface or portion of the shaft 411 that is conductive,or a conductive disc 411 may be attached to the shaft 406, 410. Theconductive disc or portion 411 may be connected to a substrate 412(which may comprise a portion of bottom portion 408 of the controller)via an elastic joint or elastomeric material 416, which may comprise asilicone glue or other flexible adhesive allowing the shaft 406, 410 andconductive disc or portion 411 to be slightly rocked or rotated by theuser. Above the substrate and below the conductive portion or disc 411,a plurality of sensing electrodes 414 provide variable capacitiveelements in conjunction with the conductive disc 411. As shown in thetop-down view of FIG. 4F, the electrodes 414 may be arranged around thecenter of the shaft, e.g. in cardinal directions or aligned with an X-Yaxis (though other orientations may be utilized in otherimplementations, as well as greater numbers of smaller capacitiveelectrodes in some implementations). Rocking or rotating the shaft andconductive disc causes the conductive disc 411 to move closer to orfarther from the different electrodes 414, increasing or reducing thecapacitance accordingly. The capacitance between each electrode 414 andthe disc 411 may be measured at a high degree of accuracy, and theresulting values scaled to a predetermined range (e.g. −128 to 128, −256to 256, or any other such range) for rate-control input use and forcomparison and correlation with position-control velocity measurementsfrom the optical sensors of the controller.

Additionally, while discussed primarily in terms of joystick ortrackpoint-like directional inputs with opposing sets of electrodes 414providing opposing capacitance signals when the shaft 406, 410 is rocked(e.g. when the shaft tilts such that the disc 411 is closer to the upperelectrode, increasing its capacitance, the disc 411 may be farther fromthe lower electrode, reducing its capacitance), in some implementations,the adhesive 416 may be sufficiently elastic that the shaft 406, 410 maybe pressed downwards towards the substrate 412, lowering the disc 411relative to all of the electrodes 414 simultaneously and increasing thesensed capacitance in each. Upon detection of such increased capacitancein all of the electrodes (or at least, in opposing pairs of electrodes,indicating a downwards pressure rather than a directional rocking), thecapacitance values may be scaled or mapped to z-axis downwardstranslation. Many such implementations may not be able to detect upwardsz-axis translation and/or it may be awkward to require to a user to liftthe controller (potentially decreasing capacitance in the electrodes)for upwards z-axis translation. Accordingly, in some suchimplementations, the z-axis downwards translation may not be used fortranslation or rotation along an axis, but rather as a triggered command(e.g. a “slam” button or input, when the user applies a downwards forcegreater than a threshold to the upper portion of the controller towardsthe bottom portion of the controller). In other implementations, a userinterface element (e.g. virtual camera, cursor, etc.) may “float”upwards in a z-axis when no pressure is applied to the controller,remain stationary when light or typical hand pressure is applied to thecontroller, and sink downwards in a negative z-axis when more pressureis applied. This may be useful for some multi-layer user interfaces,particularly with few layers or where high accuracy is not required toselect between layers. In other implementations, the controller mayinclude other sensors to detect deflection, translation, or pressurealong the z-axis (e.g. with the top portion deflected or pressed towardsthe bottom portion). In particular, unlike unibody controllers, becauseimplementations of the controllers discussed herein include separate topportions and bottom portions, such sensors may be easily positioned witheach portion relative to the gap. Because the adhesive layer 416 mayallow for at least some compression, the distance between the top andbottom portions may vary slightly when pressure is applied. For example,an optical sensor or Hall effect sensor (coupled with a magnet) may beused to measure distance between the top and bottom portions; acapacitive element may be positioned with electrodes in the top andbottom portion, and the capacitance measured to determine their relativedistance; etc. In other implementations, mechanical or electromechanicalsensors may be utilized, such as piezoelectric elements or straingauge-based pressure transducers within the adhesive layer or in similarconfiguration (e.g. at another position in the gap between the top andbottom portions).

Referring briefly back to FIG. 4D, in the example implementation shown,bottom portion 408 is very thin and may not have sufficient depth tohold optical sensors or other circuitry. In some implementations, toreduce the size of bottom portion 408, while still providing adequateroom for optical sensors and the sensing components of the rate-controlinput element, the sensors and rate control element may be integratedwithin top portion 402. For example, as shown in the cross-section ofFIG. 4G, a bottom portion 408 may comprise one or more windows or holes418 positioned in proximity to optical sensor(s) 102 on the underside ofthe top portion 402. The windows or holes 418 may be slightly largerthan the optical sensors' opening, such that minor translations of thebottom portion 408 against the top portion 402 do not cause the edges ofthe windows or holes to occlude the sensors 102.

Similarly, in some implementations, the force-sensing electrodes may beintegrated in upper portion 402 (essentially inverting the cross-sectionof FIG. 4E), with a very short shaft 406 attached to lower portion 402.The conductive portion or disc 411 may be grounded through a separateconnection or via a conductive adhesive 416, and accordingly, lowerportion 402 need not include additional electronics. In suchimplementations, lower portion 402 may be on the order of millimeters inthickness.

FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating an example of sensor inputs andcorresponding translational movement (not to scale) for animplementation of a computer input device having hybrid position andrate control. An example controller is shown in top-view withforce-sensor and an optical sensor visible in dashed line (e.g.indicating potential positions on the bottom of the controller). Forsimplicity, in the example illustrated, the controller includes a singleoptical sensor A and a single force-sensitive element B; however, asdiscussed above, multiple optical sensors could be utilized (providinghigher accuracy and reliability and/or rotational sensing). Also forsimplicity, the graph of FIG. 5 illustrates movement and sensedforce/velocity only along the X-axis. In practice, X-Y translations (andpotentially Z-axis rotations) could be detected, as well as Z-axistranslations in some implementations as discussed above.

In the example illustrated, a user may move the controller to the right(X+), accelerating from rest at t0 to t1, and then at a constant speedfrom t1 to t3. As shown in solid line, the optical sensor directlydetects the acceleration and constant movement to the right until t3, atwhich point the user may reach the right side of their mousepad or desksurface. Meanwhile, the force sensor detects an increasing deflection oramount of force from t0 to t2, at which point the deflection is at amaximum amount. At t3, the user stops moving the controller, but retainstheir hand in the same position with force on the right side of thecontroller such that the force sensor continues to detect a force in theX+ direction.

Movement of a user interface element such as a cursor or virtual cameraor other X-axis controlled element is shown in the lower graph. From t0to t1, the cursor or element accelerates to the right corresponding tothe detected velocity (and similarly accelerating motion) of the opticalsensor. From t1 to t3, the cursor or element continues moving to theright at a constant velocity corresponding to the optical sensor'sdetected velocity. However, from t3 to t4, rather than stopping when theuser reaches the edge of the mousepad or desk and stops moving thecontroller, the controller uses the rate-control values from the forcesensor to continue moving the cursor or element to the right at aconstant velocity.

As discussed above, when reversing direction of a rate-control interfacedevice, the user must typically move a joystick shaft or other elementfrom one extreme position (e.g. all the way to the right) through aninitial position (e.g. upright) to another extreme position (e.g. allthe way to the left), which may take substantial time. As shown in FIG.5 , after holding the controller stationary with a force to the rightsuch that the cursor or element moves to the right with a constantvelocity from t3 to t4, at t4 to t6, the user starts moving thecontroller to the left with a similar constant velocity. The forcesensing element first returns to a default position from t4 to t5 andthen continues moving to an extreme left position from t5 to t6.However, rather than slowing the velocity of the cursor or element tothe right down to zero from t4 to t5 and then beginning to accelerateback to the left from t5 to t6, the hybrid controller can insteadimmediately utilize the detected X− velocity from the optical sensor andimmediately reverse the direction of the cursor or element, as shown inthe lower graph of FIG. 5 at t4.

Similarly, at t6-t7, the user may stop moving the controller, and notapply any force to the left side of the controller (or release the forcepreviously being applied). While the force sensing element may take sometime as shown to return to a default position, the optical sensor mayimmediately detect that the position is stationary or that velocity hasdropped to zero. The controller may note the reduction in force andstationary velocity and use the position-control data to stop the cursoror element (as opposed to the stationary velocity with continued forceat t3 during which the rate-control signal was utilized).

Accordingly, implementations of the hybrid controller provide for bothinstantaneous movement and reversing of direction of position-controlinput devices, and indefinitely continued movement in any direction ofrate-control input devices. This may obviate users having to switchbetween different controllers for different uses.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a computer input devicehaving hybrid position and rate control 400, similar to the controller100 of FIG. 2 . As shown, the controller 600 and computing device 200may have many of the components discussed above in connection with FIG.2 , and may also have one or more force or rate control sensors 602. Asdiscussed above, a force sensor 602 may comprise a plurality ofcapacitive elements with a shaft connected to either a ground plane orelectrodes, such that movement of the shaft moves opposing pairs ofelectrodes respectively closer and farther from the ground plane, withcorresponding increasing and decreasing capacitance. In otherimplementations, a gimbal mechanism and variable resistors 602 may beused as in a two-axis analog joystick to detect deflection in the x-ydirections. Accordingly, although discussed primarily above in terms ofa trackpoint-style force sensing element, in some implementations, ananalog two-axis deflection sensing element may be utilized instead. Theshaft connecting top portion 402 and bottom portion 408 of thecontroller may be connected to conductive wipers of semi-circularvariable resistors arranged in the x-y axes, with the resistive valuesscaled to corresponding cursor or element movement rates (e.g. −128 to128; −256 to 256; etc.). In still other implementations, a digitaljoystick circuit (sometimes referred to as a 4-way or 8-way directionalpad) may be utilized, with an array of buttons or electrical contacts(e.g. 4 or 8) positioned under the shaft, such that pushing the shaft inany direction causes the conductive disc or other element to press acorresponding button or close a circuit, corresponding to movement inthat direction. Such implementations may be cheaper to construct, butmay be less accurate, particularly with movement in non-cardinaldirections. Other sensing mechanisms may be utilized including opticaljoystick mechanisms (e.g. with a shaft connected to a gimbalingmechanism, and optical deflection sensors measuring deflection of theshaft and/or gimbals), strain gauges (e.g. wires with force-variableresistance), piezoelectric sensors, Hall effect sensors (e.g. measuringdeflection of a magnet on shaft 406), or any other such sensingmechanism. As the top portion 402 and bottom portion 408 do not need asmuch deflection as in typical joystick controllers, many short-rangeforce or pressure sensitive mechanisms may be employed that would beimpractical in other implementations.

In some implementations, the processor may transcode or translateoutputs of the position and/or rate control sensors into a commonformat. For example, many operating systems use HID drivers thatinterpret an input device as a mouse or joystick, but not both, and itmay be confusing to the system to first receive mouse-type positiondelta data when the controller is moved, and then receive stick-typevector data when the top surface of the controller is pressed in thesame direction. Accordingly, in some implementations to avoid having acustom driver or to be compatible with existing mouse HID drivers, theprocessor of the controller may transcode rate-control data from therate-control sensors to position delta data that may be utilized inplace of position data from the position control sensors. For example,given a controller moved over time such that the position data reports achange in position from 0,0 to 0,100 and then held stationary withpressure in a positive y direction, the processor may iteratively add adelta to the position data (e.g. 5 per time period, 10 per time period,or any other such delta depending on the rate control value) andcontinue reporting position changes (e.g. 0,105; 0,110; 0,115; etc.)such that a computing device receiving the HID data can interpret thecontinuous motion as mouse type position data. Accordingly, in some suchimplementations, the computing device may be agnostic to or not know ofthe rate control data, and thus may utilize a standard mouse HID driver.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a method for hybrid positionand rate control of a computer input device. In the implementationshown, at step 702, a controller may read the values from a positionsensor (or plurality of sensors, as discussed above, with detectedtranslation values utilized at step 702 rather than detected rotationalvalues). At step 704, the controller may read values from one or morerate sensors. In each case, reading the values may comprise performingadditional processing, such as the comparisons of multiple sensors asdiscussed above in connection with FIG. 3 , or additional scaling,filtering, or normalizing operations. For example, in someimplementations, if a value is less than a threshold, at step 706, thevalue may be set to 0 or null to provide a “dead zone” for thecontroller. This may be particularly useful for rate control sensorsthat may experience slight drift from calibrated null positions.

At step 708, a processor of the controller may compare the determinedposition sensor and rate sensor outputs (or compare the indicated rateto a sensed velocity). If the velocity exceeds the rate, then at step710 in some implementations, the determined velocity from the positionsensor(s) will be utilized and the rate control output disregarded. Ifthe velocity is equal to zero, then at step 712 in some implementations,the rate control output will be utilized and the velocity from theposition sensor(s) disregarded (e.g. when the rate is non-zero but theposition is zero, such as when a user has moved the controller to anedge of a surface or mousepad and stopped, but continued applyingpressure). If the velocity and rate are both non-zero but with oppositesigns (e.g. because the user has reversed direction of the controller,such that the rate is larger in value but the position sensors arebeginning to detect a reverse velocity), in some implementations, thevelocity from the position sensor(s) will be utilized at step 710. Ifthe velocity is non-zero, but less than the rate control output and inthe same direction, then in some implementations, the rate controloutput may be utilized at step 712. This may prevent the cursor ormovable element of a user interface from stuttering as the controller isslowed nearing the edge of a mousepad or desk in some implementations.The selected control output, either position control at step 710 or ratecontrol at step 712 may be provided via a communication interface to acomputing device, as discussed above.

The systems and methods discussed herein provide a new hybrid positionand rate control input device. The input device incorporates aspects ofboth joysticks or trackpoints and computer mice to provide for easy andintuitive translation movement with both high accuracy and limitless,continual movement.

In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to embodiments of acomputer input device, comprising: a housing comprising an upper portionand a lower portion; a force-detecting sensor; a motion-detecting sensorwithin one of the upper portion and the lower portion of the housing,configured to detect motion of the housing relative to a surface; acommunication interface positioned within the housing; and a processorpositioned within the housing. The force-detecting sensor comprises afirst element attached to one of the upper portion and the lower portionof the housing; a second element attached to the other of the upperportion and the lower portion of the housing; an attachment between thefirst element and the second element having two degrees of freedom; andforce-detecting circuitry configured to detect a translation or rotationof the first element relative to the second element. The processor isconfigured to receive a first translation signal from themotion-detecting sensor indicating a translation of the housing; receivea second translation signal from the force-detecting sensor indicating atranslation or rotation of the first element relative to the secondelement; select one of the first translation signal and secondtranslation signal, responsive to a comparison between the firsttranslation signal and second translation signal; and transmit, via thecommunication interface to a computing device, the selected translationsignal.

In some implementations, the force-detecting circuitry comprises aplurality of capacitive sensors. In some implementations, the attachmentbetween the first element and the second element comprises an elasticadhesive having two rotational degrees of freedom. In someimplementations, the attachment between the first element and the secondelement comprises a ball and socket joint having two rotational degreesof freedom. In some implementations, the processor is further configuredto select the first translation signal responsive to the firsttranslation signal exceeding the second translation signal. In someimplementations, the processor is further configured to select the firsttranslation signal responsive to the first translation signal being inan opposing direction to the second translation signal. In someimplementations, the processor is further configured to select thesecond translation signal responsive to the first translation signalbeing zero and the second translation signal being above a threshold. Insome implementations, the processor is further configured to select thesecond translation signal responsive to the second translation signalexceeding the first translation signal.

In some implementations, the first translation signal is aposition-control signal and the second translation signal is arate-control signal. In a further implementation, the processor isfurther configured to transcode the rate-control signal to aposition-control signal. In a still further implementation, thecomputing device is agnostic to the rate-control signal.

In some implementations, the processor is further configured to receivea third signal from the force-detecting sensor indicating a translationof the first element towards the second element; and transmit, via thecommunication interface to the computing device, a signal indicating atranslation in a z-axis.

In some implementations, the motion-detecting sensor further comprises:a first motion-detecting sensor positioned at a first location on anunderside of the housing; and a second motion-detecting sensorpositioned at a second location on an underside of the housing; and theprocessor is further configured to generate the first translation signalby: receiving a third translation signal from the first motion-detectingsensor; receiving a fourth translation signal from the secondmotion-detecting sensor; identifying, based on the third and fourthtranslation signals, the translation of the housing; and generating thefirst translation signal corresponding to the identified translation. Ina further implementation, the first location is in opposition to thesecond location across a centroid of the underside of the housing. Inanother further implementation, the first motion-detecting sensor andsecond motion-detecting sensor each comprise an imaging array. Inanother further implementation, the processor is further configured to:receive a fifth translation signal from the first motion-detectingsensor; receive a sixth translation signal from the secondmotion-detecting sensor; identify, based on the fifth and sixthtranslation signals, a rotation of the housing; and transmit, via thecommunication interface to the computing device, a signal comprising theidentified rotation the first translation signal corresponding to theidentified translation. In a still further implementation, the firstmotion-detecting sensor and the second motion-detecting sensor areconfigured to detect a translation in an X-Y plane; and the processor isfurther configured to identify the rotation of the housing around aZ-axis orthogonal to the X-Y plane. In another still furtherimplementation, the processor is further configured to identify therotation of the housing responsive to the fifth translation signalhaving a first direction and the sixth translation signal having asecond, opposing direction.

In some implementations, the computer input device further comprises asecond force-detecting sensor attached to the housing and positioned toreceive a finger or thumb of a user of the computer input device; andthe processor is further configured to receive a signal from the secondforce-detecting sensor, and transmit, via the communication interface tothe computing device, a signal indicating a rotation around an X or Yaxis based on the signal from the second force-detecting sensor. In someimplementations, the computer input device further comprises at leastone input button or input wheel.

In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method forcommunicating translation of a computer input device with hybrid modes,comprising: receiving, by a processor of a computer input device, afirst translation signal from a motion-detecting sensor of the computerinput device indicating a translation of a housing of the computer inputdevice; receiving, by the processor, a second translation signal from aforce-detecting sensor, wherein the force-detecting sensor comprises afirst element attached to one of an upper portion and a lower portion ofthe housing, a second element attached to the other of the upper portionand the lower portion of the housing, an attachment between the firstelement and the second element having at least one degree of freedom(and in some implementations, at least two degrees of freedom), andforce-detecting circuitry configured to detect a translation or rotationof the first element relative to the second element, and wherein thesecond translation signal indicates a translation or rotation of thefirst element relative to the second element; selecting, by theprocessor, one of the first translation signal and second translationsignal, responsive to a comparison between the first translation signaland second translation signal; and transmitting, by the processor via acommunication interface positioned within the housing of the computerinput device to a computing device, the selected translation signal.

In some implementations, the force-detecting circuitry comprises aplurality of capacitive sensors. In some implementations, the attachmentbetween the first element and the second element comprises an elasticadhesive having two rotational degrees of freedom. In someimplementations, the attachment between the first element and the secondelement comprises a ball and socket joint having two rotational degreesof freedom.

In some implementations, the method includes selecting the firsttranslation signal responsive to the first translation signal exceedingthe second translation signal. In some implementations, the methodincludes selecting the first translation signal responsive to the firsttranslation signal being in an opposing direction to the secondtranslation signal. In some implementations, the method includesselecting the second translation signal responsive to the firsttranslation signal being zero and the second translation signal beingabove a threshold. In some implementations, the method includesselecting the second translation signal responsive to the secondtranslation signal exceeding the first translation signal.

In some implementations, the first translation signal is aposition-control signal and wherein the second translation signal is arate-control signal. In a further implementation, the method includestranscoding the rate-control signal to a position-control signal. In astill further implementation, the computing device is agnostic to therate-control signal.

In some implementations, the method includes receiving a third signalfrom the force-detecting sensor indicating a translation of the firstelement towards the second element; and transmitting, via thecommunication interface to the computing device, a signal indicating atranslation in a z-axis.

In some implementations, the motion-detecting sensor further comprises afirst motion-detecting sensor positioned at a first location on anunderside of the housing; and a second motion-detecting sensorpositioned at a second location on an underside of the housing; and themethod includes generating the first translation signal by: receiving athird translation signal from the first motion-detecting sensor;receiving a fourth translation signal from the second motion-detectingsensor; identifying, based on the third and fourth translation signals,the translation of the housing; and generating the first translationsignal corresponding to the identified translation. In a furtherimplementation, the first location is in opposition to the secondlocation across a centroid of the underside of the housing. In anotherfurther implementation, the first motion-detecting sensor and secondmotion-detecting sensor each comprise an imaging array. In anotherfurther implementation, the method includes: receiving a fifthtranslation signal from the first motion-detecting sensor; receiving asixth translation signal from the second motion-detecting sensor;identifying, based on the fifth and sixth translation signals, arotation of the housing; and transmitting, via the communicationinterface to the computing device, a signal comprising the identifiedrotation the first translation signal corresponding to the identifiedtranslation. In a still further implementation, the firstmotion-detecting sensor and the second motion-detecting sensor areconfigured to detect a translation in an X-Y plane; and the methodincludes identifying the rotation of the housing around a Z-axisorthogonal to the X-Y plane. In another still further implementation,the method includes identifying the rotation of the housing responsiveto the fifth translation signal having a first direction and the sixthtranslation signal having a second, opposing direction.

In some implementations, the computer input device includes a secondforce-detecting sensor attached to the housing and positioned to receivea finger or thumb of a user of the computer input device; and the methodincludes receiving, by the processor, a signal from the secondforce-detecting sensor; and transmitting, by the processor via thecommunication interface to the computing device, a signal indicating arotation around an X or Y axis based on the signal from the secondforce-detecting sensor. In some implementations, the computer inputdevice includes at least one input button or input wheel.

C. Computing Environment

Having discussed specific embodiments of the present solution, it may behelpful to describe aspects of the operating environment as well asassociated system components (e.g., hardware elements) in connectionwith the methods and systems described herein.

The systems discussed herein may be deployed as and/or executed on anytype and form of computing device, such as a computer, network device orappliance capable of communicating on any type and form of network andperforming the operations described herein. FIGS. 8A and 8B depict blockdiagrams of a computing device 800 useful for practicing an embodimentof the wireless communication devices 802 or the access point 806. Asshown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, each computing device 800 includes a centralprocessing unit 821, and a main memory unit 822. As shown in FIG. 8A, acomputing device 800 may include a storage device 828, an installationdevice 816, a network interface 818, an I/O controller 823, displaydevices 824a-824n, a keyboard 826 and a pointing device 827, such as amouse. The storage device 828 may include, without limitation, anoperating system and/or software. As shown in FIG. 8B, each computingdevice 800 may also include additional optional elements, such as amemory port 803, a bridge 870, one or more input/output devices830a-830n (generally referred to using reference numeral 830), and acache memory 840 in communication with the central processing unit 821.

The central processing unit 821 is any logic circuitry that responds toand processes instructions fetched from the main memory unit 822. Inmany embodiments, the central processing unit 821 is provided by amicroprocessor unit, such as: those manufactured by Intel Corporation ofMountain View, Calif.; those manufactured by International BusinessMachines of White Plains, N.Y.; or those manufactured by Advanced MicroDevices of Sunnyvale, Calif. The computing device 800 may be based onany of these processors, or any other processor capable of operating asdescribed herein.

Main memory unit 822 may be one or more memory chips capable of storingdata and allowing any storage location to be directly accessed by themicroprocessor 821, such as any type or variant of Static random accessmemory (SRAM), Dynamic random access memory (DRAM), Ferroelectric RAM(FRAM), NAND Flash, NOR Flash and Solid State Drives (SSD). The mainmemory 822 may be based on any of the above described memory chips, orany other available memory chips capable of operating as describedherein. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8A, the processor 821communicates with main memory 822 via a system bus 850 (described inmore detail below). FIG. 8B depicts an embodiment of a computing device800 in which the processor communicates directly with main memory 822via a memory port 803. For example, in FIG. 8B the main memory 822 maybe DRDRAM.

FIG. 8B depicts an embodiment in which the main processor 821communicates directly with cache memory 840 via a secondary bus,sometimes referred to as a backside bus. In other embodiments, the mainprocessor 821 communicates with cache memory 840 using the system bus850. Cache memory 840 typically has a faster response time than mainmemory 822 and is provided by, for example, SRAM, BSRAM, or EDRAM. Inthe embodiment shown in FIG. 8B, the processor 821 communicates withvarious I/O devices 830 via a local system bus 850. Various buses may beused to connect the central processing unit 821 to any of the I/Odevices 830, for example, a VESA VL bus, an ISA bus, an EISA bus, aMicroChannel Architecture (MCA) bus, a PCI bus, a PCI-X bus, aPCI-Express bus, or a NuBus. For embodiments in which the I/O device isa video display 824, the processor 821 may use an Advanced Graphics Port(AGP) to communicate with the display 824. FIG. 8B depicts an embodimentof a computer 800 in which the main processor 821 may communicatedirectly with I/O device 830 b, for example via HYPERTRANSPORT, RAPIDIO,or INFINIBAND communications technology. FIG. 8B also depicts anembodiment in which local busses and direct communication are mixed: theprocessor 821 communicates with I/O device 830 a using a localinterconnect bus while communicating with I/O device 830 b directly.

A wide variety of I/O devices 830 a-830 n may be present in thecomputing device 800. Input devices include keyboards, mice, trackpads,trackballs, microphones, dials, touch pads, touch screen, and drawingtablets. Output devices include video displays, speakers, inkjetprinters, laser printers, projectors and dye-sublimation printers. TheI/O devices may be controlled by an I/O controller 823 as shown in FIG.8A. The I/O controller may control one or more I/O devices such as akeyboard 826 and a pointing device 827, e.g., a mouse or optical pen.Furthermore, an I/O device may also provide storage and/or aninstallation medium 816 for the computing device 800. In still otherembodiments, the computing device 800 may provide USB connections (notshown) to receive handheld USB storage devices such as the USB FlashDrive line of devices manufactured by Twintech Industry, Inc. of LosAlamitos, Calif.

Referring again to FIG. 8A, the computing device 800 may support anysuitable installation device 816, such as a disk drive, a CD-ROM drive,a CD-R/RW drive, a DVD-ROM drive, a flash memory drive, tape drives ofvarious formats, USB device, hard-drive, a network interface, or anyother device suitable for installing software and programs. Thecomputing device 800 may further include a storage device, such as oneor more hard disk drives or redundant arrays of independent disks, forstoring an operating system and other related software, and for storingapplication software programs such as any program or software 820 forimplementing (e.g., configured and/or designed for) the systems andmethods described herein. Optionally, any of the installation devices816 could also be used as the storage device. Additionally, theoperating system and the software can be run from a bootable medium.

Furthermore, the computing device 800 may include a network interface818 to interface to the network 804 through a variety of connectionsincluding, but not limited to, standard telephone lines, LAN or WANlinks (e.g., 802.11, T1, T3, 56 kb, X.25, SNA, DECNET), broadbandconnections (e.g., ISDN, Frame Relay, ATM, Gigabit Ethernet,Ethernet-over-SONET), wireless connections, or some combination of anyor all of the above. Connections can be established using a variety ofcommunication protocols (e.g., TCP/IP, IPX, SPX, NetBIOS, Ethernet,ARCNET, SONET, SDH, Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), RS232, IEEE802.11, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, IEEE802.11ac, IEEE 802.11ad, CDMA, GSM, WiMax and direct asynchronousconnections). In one embodiment, the computing device 800 communicateswith other computing devices 800′ via any type and/or form of gateway ortunneling protocol such as Secure Socket Layer (SSL) or Transport LayerSecurity (TLS). The network interface 818 may include a built-in networkadapter, network interface card, PCMCIA network card, card bus networkadapter, wireless network adapter, USB network adapter, modem or anyother device suitable for interfacing the computing device 800 to anytype of network capable of communication and performing the operationsdescribed herein.

In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may include or beconnected to one or more display devices 824 a-824 n. As such, any ofthe I/O devices 830 a-830 n and/or the I/O controller 823 may includeany type and/or form of suitable hardware, software, or combination ofhardware and software to support, enable or provide for the connectionand use of the display device(s) 824 a-824 n by the computing device800. For example, the computing device 800 may include any type and/orform of video adapter, video card, driver, and/or library to interface,communicate, connect or otherwise use the display device(s) 824 a-824 n.In one embodiment, a video adapter may include multiple connectors tointerface to the display device(s) 824 a-824 n. In other embodiments,the computing device 800 may include multiple video adapters, with eachvideo adapter connected to the display device(s) 824 a-824 n. In someembodiments, any portion of the operating system of the computing device800 may be configured for using multiple displays 824 a-824 n. Oneordinarily skilled in the art will recognize and appreciate the variousways and embodiments that a computing device 800 may be configured tohave one or more display devices 824 a-824 n.

In further embodiments, an I/O device 830 may be a bridge between thesystem bus 850 and an external communication bus, such as a USB bus, anApple Desktop Bus, an RS-232 serial connection, a SCSI bus, a FireWirebus, a FireWire 800 bus, an Ethernet bus, an AppleTalk bus, a GigabitEthernet bus, an Asynchronous Transfer Mode bus, a FibreChannel bus, aSerial Attached small computer system interface bus, a USB connection,or a HDMI bus.

A computing device 800 of the sort depicted in FIGS. 8A and 8B mayoperate under the control of an operating system, which controlscheduling of tasks and access to system resources. The computing device800 can be running any operating system such as any of the versions ofthe MICROSOFT WINDOWS operating systems, the different releases of theUnix and Linux operating systems, any version of the MAC OS forMacintosh computers, any embedded operating system, any real-timeoperating system, any open source operating system, any proprietaryoperating system, any operating systems for mobile computing devices, orany other operating system capable of running on the computing deviceand performing the operations described herein. Typical operatingsystems include, but are not limited to: Android, produced by GoogleInc.; WINDOWS 7 and 8, produced by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond,Wash.; MAC OS, produced by Apple Computer of Cupertino, Calif.; WebOS,produced by Research In Motion (RIM); OS/2, produced by InternationalBusiness Machines of Armonk, N.Y.; and Linux, a freely-availableoperating system distributed by Caldera Corp. of Salt Lake City, Utah,or any type and/or form of a Unix operating system, among others.

The computer system 800 can be any workstation, telephone, desktopcomputer, laptop or notebook computer, server, handheld computer, mobiletelephone or other portable telecommunications device, media playingdevice, a gaming system, mobile computing device, or any other typeand/or form of computing, telecommunications or media device that iscapable of communication. The computer system 800 has sufficientprocessor power and memory capacity to perform the operations describedherein.

In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may have differentprocessors, operating systems, and input devices consistent with thedevice. For example, in one embodiment, the computing device 800 is asmart phone, mobile device, tablet or personal digital assistant. Instill other embodiments, the computing device 800 is an Android-basedmobile device, an iPhone smart phone manufactured by Apple Computer ofCupertino, Calif., or a Blackberry or WebOS-based handheld device orsmart phone, such as the devices manufactured by Research In MotionLimited. Moreover, the computing device 800 can be any workstation,desktop computer, laptop or notebook computer, server, handheldcomputer, mobile telephone, any other computer, or other form ofcomputing or telecommunications device that is capable of communicationand that has sufficient processor power and memory capacity to performthe operations described herein.

Although the disclosure may reference one or more “users”, such “users”may refer to user-associated devices or stations (STAs), for example,consistent with the terms “user” and “multi-user” typically used in thecontext of a multi-user multiple-input and multiple-output (MU-MIMO)environment.

Although examples of communications systems described above may includedevices and APs operating according to an 802.11 standard, it should beunderstood that embodiments of the systems and methods described canoperate according to other standards and use wireless communicationsdevices other than devices configured as devices and APs. For example,multiple-unit communication interfaces associated with cellularnetworks, satellite communications, vehicle communication networks, andother non-802.11 wireless networks can utilize the systems and methodsdescribed herein to achieve improved overall capacity and/or linkquality without departing from the scope of the systems and methodsdescribed herein.

It should be noted that certain passages of this disclosure mayreference terms such as “first” and “second” in connection with devices,mode of operation, transmit chains, antennas, etc., for purposes ofidentifying or differentiating one from another or from others. Theseterms are not intended to merely relate entities (e.g., a first deviceand a second device) temporally or according to a sequence, although insome cases, these entities may include such a relationship. Nor do theseterms limit the number of possible entities (e.g., devices) that mayoperate within a system or environment.

It should be understood that the systems described above may providemultiple ones of any or each of those components and these componentsmay be provided on either a standalone machine or, in some embodiments,on multiple machines in a distributed system. In addition, the systemsand methods described above may be provided as one or morecomputer-readable programs or executable instructions embodied on or inone or more articles of manufacture. The article of manufacture may be afloppy disk, a hard disk, a CD-ROM, a flash memory card, a PROM, a RAM,a ROM, or a magnetic tape. In general, the computer-readable programsmay be implemented in any programming language, such as LISP, PERL, C,C++, C#, PROLOG, or in any byte code language such as JAVA. The softwareprograms or executable instructions may be stored on or in one or morearticles of manufacture as object code.

While the foregoing written description of the methods and systemsenables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is consideredpresently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill willunderstand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, andequivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. Thepresent methods and systems should therefore not be limited by the abovedescribed embodiments, methods, and examples, but by all embodiments andmethods within the scope and spirit of the disclosure.

1. A computer input device, comprising: a communication interface; amotion-detecting sensor; a force-detecting sensor; and processingcircuitry configured to: receive a first signal from themotion-detecting sensor, receive a second signal from theforce-detecting sensor, select one of the first signal and the secondsignal, responsive to a comparison between the first signal and thesecond signal, and transmit, via the communication interface to acomputing device, the selected signal.
 2. The computer input device ofclaim 1, wherein the transmitted signal identifies a translation of thecomputer input device across a surface.
 3. The computer input device ofclaim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured toselect the first signal responsive to the first signal exceeding thesecond signal.
 4. The computer input device of claim 1, wherein theprocessing circuitry is further configured to select the first signalresponsive to the first signal indicating a translation in an opposingdirection to a translation indicated by the second signal.
 5. Thecomputer input device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry isfurther configured to select the second signal responsive to the firstsignal indicating no translation and the second signal indicatingtranslation greater than a threshold.
 6. The computer input device ofclaim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured toselect the second signal responsive to the second signal exceeding thefirst signal.
 7. The computer input device of claim 1, wherein the firstsignal is a position-control signal and wherein the second signal is arate-control signal.
 8. The computer input device of claim 1, whereinthe force-detecting sensor comprises: a first element attached to one ofan upper portion and a lower portion of the computer input device, asecond element attached to the other of the upper portion and the lowerportion of the computer input device, and an attachment between thefirst element and the second element having at least one degree offreedom.
 9. The computer input device of claim 8, wherein the attachmentbetween the first element and the second element comprises an elasticadhesive having two rotational degrees of freedom.
 10. The computerinput device of claim 8, wherein the attachment between the firstelement and the second element comprises a ball and socket joint havingtwo rotational degrees of freedom.
 11. The computer input device ofclaim 8, wherein the force-detecting sensor further comprisesforce-detecting circuitry configured to detect a translation or rotationof the first element relative to the second element.
 12. The computerinput device of claim 7, wherein the processing circuitry is furtherconfigured to transcode the rate-control signal to a position-controlsignal.
 13. The computer input device of claim 1, wherein themotion-detecting sensor is configured to detect motion of the computerinput device relative to a surface.
 14. The computer input device ofclaim 1, wherein the motion-detecting sensor further comprises: a firstmotion-detecting sensor positioned at a first location on an undersideof the computer input device; and a second motion-detecting sensorpositioned at a second location on an underside of the computer inputdevice; and wherein the first signal is generated from a comparison ofan output of the first motion-detecting sensor and an output of thesecond motion-detecting sensor.
 15. The computer input device of claim14, wherein the first signal indicates a rotation of the computer inputdevice.
 16. The computer input device of claim 14, wherein the firstmotion-detecting sensor and the second motion-detecting sensor areconfigured to detect a translation in an X-Y plane; and wherein theprocessing circuitry is further configured to identify the rotation ofthe computer input device around a Z-axis orthogonal to the X-Y plane.17. A method for controlling a computer graphic user interface,comprising: detecting, by a computer input device, a first signal from amotion-detecting sensor of the computer input device; detecting, by thecomputer input device, a second signal from a force-detecting sensor ofthe computer input device; selecting, by the computer input device, oneof the first signal and the second signal, responsive to a comparisonbetween the first signal and the second signal; and transmitting, by thecomputer input device to a computing device, the selected signal. 18.The method of claim 17, wherein the transmitted signal identifies atranslation of the computer input device across a surface.
 19. Themethod of claim 17, wherein detecting the second signal from theforce-detecting sensor comprises detecting a translation or rotation ofa first element attached to one of an upper portion and a lower portionof the computer input device relative to a second element attached tothe other of the upper portion and the lower portion of the computerinput device by an attachment between the first element and the secondelement having at least one degree of freedom.
 20. The method of claim17, wherein detecting the first signal from the motion-detecting sensorcomprises: detecting a third signal from a first motion-detecting sensorpositioned at a first location on an underside of the computer inputdevice; detecting a fourth signal from a second motion-detecting sensorpositioned at a second location on an underside of the computer inputdevice; and generating the first signal based on a comparison of anoutput of the first motion-detecting sensor and an output of the secondmotion-detecting sensor, the first signal indicating a translation orrotation of the computer input device.